Well it’s technically Spring and the sun is shining outside, but Winter hasn’t quite left us just yet. Temps is only in the 40s so we can’t exactly plant those Petunias just yet. Heck, we might even still get snow later tonight! But hey, it IS April so I’m gonna pretend Spring IS here.
So here are movies I saw this month:
New-to-me Movies
(in order of viewing)
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I’ve reviewed Shaun the Sheep, London Has Fallen, Eye in the Sky, Crouching Tiger 2, Batman V Superman and Before We Go. I’ve pretty much summed up my thoughts on Knight of Cups here. I should have my review of Suite Française later this month as I still haven’t got around to reviewing any of Sam Riley movies [sigh]. I did do a special Music Break post dedicated to Control though. As for Suite Française, lets just say the UK dvd I bought from Amazon (which I had to convert into Region 1 so I can actually play it) was well worth the purchase!
On the TV front, I finished the entire season of Daredevil in just one week! That is quite a record as normally my hubby and I take our time with TV shows. Well, suffice to say Daredevil season 2 was great, I’d say it’s on par with season 1, with an even better adversary in The Punisher. I’ll definitely do a top 10 post for it, just like I did with Jessica Jones.
Rewatches
Yes of course I rewatched a few of Sam Riley films. On the Road and Control are the kind of films I could watch a few times a year, even just to indulge in Sam’s performance. I only have one more of his feature films to watch, which is a British thriller 13 (see trailer below) which has a stellar ensemble cast (Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, Michael Shannon, etc.) which I plan to watch next week. After that I’ll be done with his entire filmography!
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Of course there’s always time for period dramas in my life, so I rewatched BBC’s Persuasion just a few days ago. Apart from the awkward kissing scene, I love this adaptation. Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen story after Sense & Sensibility. Now, A Promise is a very flawed drama, but for some reason I enjoyed it… there’s something about the way Richard Madden pines for Rebecca Hall that I find so irresistible.
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Currently reading
I’ve been devouring this excellent novel by Len Deighton, which is an alternative history narrative set in a Nazi-occupied Britain, centered on a Scotland Yard detective Douglas Archer. BBC is currently adapting SS-GB as a five-part miniseries with my dahling Sam Riley as the protagonist Archer (yay!) I’ll be blogging about this project specifically, but let’s just say the book is a page-turner, a MUST for all spy fans.
MOVIE SERIES OF THE MONTH
I actually don’t really have a favorite new-to-me film I saw this month. It would’ve probably be A Streetcar Named Desire, but since I was unable to watch it last week for the Blindspot series, I’m putting down Daredevil Season 2 as the best thing I watched in March. I can’t wait to see the standalone Punisher series, I wonder if they’ll have that before or after Daredevil season 3. Either way, I’m up for both!!
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Films I look forward to in April
Born To Be Blue
I’m hoping to catch this one later this weekend. I have the screener link but it has the pesky watermark on it so I’ve sort of been putting off watching it. Hoping to chat with the director too, we’ll see if that pans out. I’m always up for an interesting music biopic and I don’t know anything about Chet Baker so it should be interesting.
Demolition
I missed the press screening of Demolition last month but fortunately there’s another one scheduled next week, so I can’t wait for this.
Huntsman: Winter War
This screening is actually scheduled the same time as The Jungle Book. I’d love to see that one too but I didn’t really like the theater it’s screened at so I chose this one. It’s probably not gonna be a great movie, but I’d still see it just for the trio of fabulous women: Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain. I think it’s inspired casting to see Theron and Blunt as sisters.
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13 (2011)
Despite the stellar cast, this film never got a theatrical release. I actually heard about it in one of Sam’s interviews where he said he saw it years later and had to find it online somewhere to see it! The reviews haven’t been kind, but really, with THIS cast (esp. Sam in the lead role!) I simply have to see it. It’s interesting too that the Georgian director actually remade his own movie 13 Tzameti and set it in the US with British/American actors.
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Well that’s my recap of March. What’s YOUR favorite film of the month?
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FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
Finally caught up to Spielberg’s BRIDGE OF SPIES and was thoroughly surprised how much I enjoyed it. Favorite re-watch was going back to THE JOY LUCK CLUB, and reading its source novel. Quite the month. Now would like to see ’13’, based on your thoughts, and not because it’s my favorite number. 😉
Hey are you gonna do a comparative review of Joy Luck Club of the film n novel? Btw I think you would enjoy SS-GB 😉 Yeah I can’t wait to see ’13’ and I reckon you might like that too!
We did for a Duo Post entry, for March. Check it out. I’ve always heard good things about Deighton’s work. I should finally check him out. Thanks, Ruth. 🙂
Oh did I miss that post? Would you send me the link Michael? Thanks!!
Just came yesterday: http://le0pard13.com/2016/03/31/the-joy-luck-club-film-review/
Checking it out right now, thanks!
I don’t have a favorite movie from last month either so I’ll go with DareDevil was my favorite too! I think the only movie I want to see this month is Kevin Costner’s new one, Criminal. Looks interesting and it could be his last chance at starring in theatrical release movie; Hollywood is giving him many chances the last couple of years but all of recent films flopped. I can see this one will be another bust for him but hopefully the movie will be a descent action thriller.
Oh I think I saw the poster of Criminal. I’d rent it as I do like Costner. I really think he should do his own film and not something too Hollywood, I think he still has many fans and he’s good in both action and drama. Btw, I think that 13 movie might be right up your alley 😉
I don’t know if Costner can get funding to direct his own film anymore because he’s the not the A-lister that he used to be. But I agree, he should direct films instead of starring in them, he’s not a young man anymore and he’s a good director. Hopefully Criminal will make enough money so he can get to direct another film.
I think I remember seeing a trailer for 13 a couple years back but yeah it never got released here in States. I think it got my attention was because of Jason Stratham appeared in it, I think this is the only film he appeared in that I have yet to see. I’ll watch it when it’s on Netflix.
Hey Ted, if you see ‘Criminal’ would you review it for me? Yeah I hope he gets to act AND make movies, I’d think he can probably finance his own stuff at his point if the project is small in scale.
Yeah I’ll see Criminal for sure since it’s an R rated action picture. It’s nice seeing Hollywood churning out R rated action films again, let’s hope this one is a good one and yeah I’ll review it.
Guess what Ted, a screening for Criminal just arrived. I’ll email you the info.
The best film I saw this month was Les Rendez-vous d’Anna which was a real surprise for me as I also did a post on what new music I heard as the album to hear right now is Iggy Pop’s new album which became his first top 20 album here in the U.S. and his first top 5 album in the U.K. For a guy that was known for cutting himself with glass, doing all sorts of crazy shit, and paving the way for punk rock. It’s about time he’s finally getting some chart success.
I want to see ‘Les Rendez-vous d’Anna’ now, thanks to you. Interesting tidbit about Iggy Pop’s, I’m not familiar w/ them at all.
For anything about Iggy. The records to get are the first 3 albums he did with the Stooges. Without those albums, punk would never exist. Then there’s the 2 solo albums he did in 1977 with the help of David Bowie as they essentially planted the seeds for post-punk. There’s some good compilation albums of his to get as his output is spotty at best but has some great moments. I’m just stoked he finally got a top 20 U.S. album.
Thanks for the insightful comment, man. Your music knowledge is outstanding!
Another busy month! Strong work! 13 isn’t that strong in my opinion (the original is far better), but the Stath is great as always!
Oh yeah I figure 13 isn’t gonna be a great movie by any means but sometimes I don’t mind if I like the cast 🙂
Oh! That’s right! I still have to dig out my DVD of Control. I still promise I’ll be watching that! 😉 I love monthly recaps. Wow – I’ve not seen anything you saw last month! Hmm… I didn’t watch many movies in March. I guess my favorite film in the cinema was 10 Cloverfield Lane & watched at home was THX 1138. 🙂
Yes do watch CONTROL! I’ve recommended it to a few colleagues and they all LOVED it. That’s one I’d recommend to you from all the stuff I saw here, oh and Daredevil 2 of course. What’s THX 1138?
Ruth, THX 1138 was George Lucas’ first film, it’s a sci-fi thriller set in the future. It’s a interesting idea and an okay film, nothing spectacular.
THX 1138 is a sci-fi dystopian film from 1971. It was the first feature film from George Lucas. But he’s messed with it just like he messed with the Star Wars original trilogy. 😦 Wish I could get a hold of the original version.
By George he has to ruin his own work! You got me curious though, I should give that a watch.
I think the original version is probably very good… Wish that was the one I’d seen! It’s obvious anytime you see the stuff he’s added. So annoying. But a good example of an early 70’s dystopian film.
Awkward kissing scene?
Ahah yeah, if you’ve seen that BBC adaptation you’ll know what I mean. It’s soooo awkward it makes me cringe every time! But overall it’s a lovely tv movie.
I remember there was an awkward one in Watchmen, but this one sounds bad too so i’m super curious.
It’s been ages since I saw Watchmen, was it the one w/ Patrick Wilson? Well you should watch BBC’s Persuasion, don’t let that one awkward moment to um, dissuade you from watching it 😉
Nope. You thinking of Little Children? Watchmen was ok. If you’d read the graphic novel though, it felt more like a trace than an adaptation if you get me.
No I think Patrick Wilson is in Watchmen too, he had a sex scene w/ Malin Akerman. Oh no doubt the graphic novel is better than the film, but even so it’s still Snyder’s strongest work IMO, compared to his recent ones anyway.
OMG!! I had no idea that was him.
Ahah yep he looked VERY different in this movie.
Well noted. Take a bow.
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I’m also looking forward to Demolition. My theater just got Eye in the Sky too, so I’ll be seeing that next week.
Glad to hear Eye in the Sky is getting a decent theatrical release!
I think the best thing I watched in March was probably Hoop Dreams.
Ooh let me know how 13 is since Jason is in it! I think the best movie I saw in March was The Dressmaker, though I also saw Clear and Present Danger and that certainly had its merits 🙂
I heard Stath is great in this movie, this is the kind of movies that suits him well. Can’t wait to see it!
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